Borough President James Oddo is pleased to announce a partnership with NYC Department of Parks to hold a beach cleanup event in honor of World Oceans Day 2019.
 
We all know Staten Island has a litter problem, and we are working to make it better, but we can’t do it alone! Borough President Oddo and NYC Parks are issuing a call to action for Staten Islanders – civic groups, community organizations, and individuals – who are interested in cleaning up our beaches to join us at Conference House Park for a cleanup of the 3.5 miles of shoreline. This event will take place June 8, from 10am to 1 pm, rain or shine. Cooling stations and restrooms will be available.
 
“The fight to reclaim our Island from those who litter continues. We ask the public to help us, not only by not littering, but also by joining with us to help clean up the shoreline at Conference House Park on June 8th,” said Borough President Oddo. “We hope that by having a call to action for one weekend, we can enlist more Staten Islanders in this battle. I know the majority of Staten Islanders are not engaging in it, but we need the majority to help us with the litter solution in order to protect our community and our beaches.”
 
The Borough President’s Office and NYC Department of Parks will donate supplies for the cleanup efforts at Conference House Park for volunteers to safely cleanup the shoreline. In order to ensure there are enough supplies for the cleanup, please RSVP below or call Irene Maiello at (718) 816-2239.
 
The cleanup at Conference House Park will also feature tables with information from different environmental education groups and City agencies. There will also be a guided historic tour of the area available.
 
“We count on New Yorkers to help us keep our public spaces clean and green, and that includes our waterbodies and beaches,” said NYC Parks Staten Island Borough Commissioner Lynda Ricciardone. “We are proud to partner with Borough President Oddo in an effort to reduce litter across the Staten Island shoreline. Together, we can all chip in to maintain and enjoy a healthy, beautiful environment.”
 
In the event that any illicit drug paraphernalia is found, NYC Parks will have trained crew members on site to properly and safely dispose of it.

​Borough President James Oddo will sponsor a Lyme Disease Forum in May to update Staten Islanders about the prevalence of ticks and tick-borne illness on Staten Island. This free event will be held on Wednesday, May 29th from 7:00-8:30pm at the Bernikow JCC (1466 Manor Road) and coincides with May as Lyme Disease Awareness Month.
 
At this forum, The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) and researchers from Columbia University will present important information about Lyme disease and the black-legged ticks that are vectors for the disease. DOHMH staff will also provide statistical updates on the incidence of Lyme disease cases in New York City and on Staten Island. There will also be presentations on tick precautions and removal. There will be a demonstration of how mice bait boxes—or mice “car washes”—work, one of the tick control measures that New York City is undertaking at the urging of Borough President Oddo.
 
Topics to be discussed at the event include basic facts about Lyme disease, symptoms and health impacts, public safety tips, precautions when exploring natural areas, and do’s and don’ts on tick removal. A question and answer period with the audience will follow the presentations.
 
Speakers at the event include:

• Members of NYC DOHMH including Sally Slavinski, DVM, MPH, Assistant Director, Zoonotic and Vector borne Disease Unit; John Zuzworsky, Senior Vector Ecologist, Office of Vector Surveillance and Control; and Mario Merlino, Assistant Commissioner, Bureau of Veterinary and Pest Control Services
• Maria Diuk-Wasser, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Columbia University
• Christopher J. Pappas, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Manhattanville College

 
“Our quest to mitigate the growing number of Staten Islanders suffering from Lyme disease is being fought on many fronts, and educating the public about the disease and how it is spread is a vital step,” said Borough President Oddo. “The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology at Columbia University are working with us on the front lines to combat ticks and the spread of Lyme disease. It is essential Staten Islanders gain as much information as possible to be able to protect themselves.”
 
If you wish to attend the forum, please RSVP to Diane Marciuliano at (718) 816-2246 or DMarciuliano@statenislandusa.com.
 
The Borough President’s previous Lyme disease Forum in August 2016 attracted over 100 individuals.

On Sunday, January 27, Borough President James S. Oddo hosted his first annual “BP Assist Live” at Susan E. Wagner High School.  This was adapted from the previous “Direct Connect Sunday,” a tradition he began when he took office.
 
“When I first got elected borough president in 2014, the notion of having a really stuffy swearing-in inauguration didn’t quite fit my style,” said Borough President Oddo. “I wanted to get to work. I tried to figuratively and literally open the door to Borough Hall and host Staten Islanders I have never seen, and it was really a positive event.”
 
Borough President Oddo began the afternoon with a Q&A with students from Staten Island’s high schools. Topics addressed included the opioid epidemic, street conditions and how to portray Staten Island in a positive light. Borough President Oddo also spoke of the importance of sleep, healthy eating and managing stress for teenagers.
 
On the drug epidemic, he said the crisis knows “no demographic.”
 
The schools represented included Susan E. Wagner High School, Curtis High School, Monsignor Farrell High School, New Dorp High School, Michael J. Petrides High School, Staten Island Technical High School, McKee Technical High School, Concord High School and the College of Staten Island High School for International Studies.
 
Another aspect of the day included a resource fair where Staten islanders were able to meet with representatives from 48 city agencies, cultural organizations and community groups to learn about their services and ask questions.

​We welcomed over 200 people at the event. 

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